Lack of lighting blamed as worker suffers acid burns

The part of the AGC Chemicals Europe chemical plant in Thornton, Lancashire, England where the accident happened was said to be 'pitch black'.

THE ABSENCE of adequate lighting in part of a chemical plant was a factor in a worker receiving ‘life changing’ sulphuric acid burns.

AGC Chemicals Europe – based in Lancashire, England – was fined £300,000 over the incident in which process operator David Crellan was soaked in 4,000 litres of acid in a ‘pitch black’ part of the site.

‘Stay-put’ lighting is a new option within emergency lighting. The latest revisions to the Emergency Lighting Code of Practice (BS2566:1 2016) allows for a situation where building occupants can remain in the building during an electricity mains failure. The webinar will look at the conditions that appertain to this new standard and what scheme designers and building users need to do to ensure that a ‘stay put’ scheme is compliant.